1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to protective relaying methods and apparatus, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for detecting a single-phase-to-ground fault on a three-phase electrical power system, and for identifying the faulted phase.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Faults on three-phase electrical power transmission lines are usually transient single-phase-to-ground faults, which can be cleared by opening and high-speed reclosing of only the phase associated with the fault. Single-pole tripping enables synchronizing power to be exchanged between the other two phases, and it minimizes system shock. A large generation plant, for example, connected to the electrical power system via a single transmission line retains synchronization when single-pole tripping is used, as opposed to three-pole tripping. Three-pole tripping requires the machines to be resynchronized before reconnection.
In single-pole tripping, the protective relays must be able to distinguish a single-phase-to-ground fault from a phase-to-phase fault, a double-phase-to-ground fault, and three-phase faults, and correctly identify the faulted phase. One prior art approach uses current level detectors in each of the three phases of a transmission line. A phase-to-ground fault is identified when one current is high and the other two currents are low. This method has certain disadvantages, however, as accurate phase selection is only possible when the fault current reliably and appreciably exceeds load current, and the symmetrical component distribution factors are similar in the positive and zero sequence networks.
Another prior art approach takes advantage of the fact that for single-phase-to-ground faults, the negative and zero sequence currents are essentially inphase for the faulted phase, and essentially 120.degree. out of phase for the unfaulted phases. This concept, however, cannot be used without additional relaying units which distinguish between a single-phase-to-ground fault and a phase-to-phase-to-ground fault, as in the latter, the negative and zero sequence currents are essentially inphase for the phase which is not involved in the fault. For example, an additional relaying unit may be provided which senses the magnitudes of the three phase-to-ground voltages. This relaying unit is set to operate only when one voltage is higher than the other two, thus identifying a phase-to-phase-to-ground fault. This relaying unit thus overrides the selection of a single pole by the phase selector relay, and causes all three poles to trip. While satisfactory operation can be obtained with this arrangement, the application is difficult because of the choice of levels for "high" and "low" voltages, and what difference value is a suitable criterion for making a decision that a phase-to-phase-to-ground fault exists.
Thus, it would be desirable to be able to provide new and improved protective relaying methods and apparatus for detecting a single-phase-to-ground fault, and for identifying the faulted phase, which methods and apparatus are not critically dependent upon the selection of analog magnitude values, and their differences, for proper setup and operation.